Wayward
by MHatter116
Summary: Lyssa Roman is eager to start college and escape the tension and stress always present in her family. But when her rooftop star-gazing brings her into contact with a certain calm, collected, blue-clad ninja turtle, she may find other ways to reach the peace she longs for...if she can handle the danger that comes with it. This is my first fan fiction, so reviews are very welcome!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the ninja turtles, or anything relating to them. I only own my OCs and plot**

"I'm going up to the roof for a while," Lyssa called out, looking over at her parents. Her mother met her eyes and nodded, smiling softly, before returning her preoccupied gaze back to the television on the far wall of the living room. Lyssa sighed as she moved her eyes to her father before quickly turning and exiting their fourth floor apartment. As usual, her father had noticed almost nothing beyond the television screen and the bottle in his hand.

Lyssa took the stairs up to the roof of the building, carrying a blanket, pillow, and her backpack. She had stuffed the bag with snacks, a book, and her music player to pass the time. As she climbed the steps, she thought about her parents' lack of interest in her activities and sighed once more. Her mother loved her, Lyssa knew, but the woman was usually busy running the small interior design company she had started and often was oblivious to things happening in the household. She checked in on Lyssa and spent time with her when able, but Lyssa still missed the days when her mother had the time to really talk to her. Between work and carefully avoiding the subject of Lyssa's father's drinking problem, it seemed that her mother had very little time to actually notice Lyssa these past few years.

Still, Lyssa adored the time she did get to spend with her mom. It was more than she got from her father, even if he was home more often. Ever since her mother's business had become successful and he'd been laid off, her father had withdrawn from the two women, preferring short conversations and alone time with the television set. And more often, his nights began to include a drink…or several. On this night, Lyssa's mother had chosen to relax after work by having a glass of wine in the living room, joining in on whatever show Lyssa's father was watching. The air in the living room had been thick with carefully ignored tension between the two, and Lyssa found herself headed to her usual escape spot for some peace of mind.

She loved the rooftop of their building; it had been her favorite spot since she was sixteen. Eighteen now, she still loved coming up to star-gaze and look over at the lights of the city; Lyssa felt so far away from her everyday life when she went up there. She had made a cozy sort of spot for herself at the far left corner of the roof, away from the door, where she had placed an old lawn chair she'd gotten from a neighbor and a radio. No one had ever seemed to notice them sitting on the building's roof, or if they did, they never complained about it. As Lyssa opened the door that led out on to the roof she made her way over to the lawn chair, placing her pillow on the chair first, then sitting down and reclining with a sigh. The radio, she remembered, she placed back in her apartment to avoid getting damaged by the heavy rain that had fallen over the past couple of weeks.

"_Summer in New York City," _she thought. "_Always a storm on the way."_

Lyssa pushed her long, dark curls behind her ears as she looked up at the night sky. She suddenly thought about her recent graduation from high school, and the changes that would soon come when she started college in the fall. She'd gotten a full scholarship, something she'd worked hard for throughout her academic career. She was thrilled to go to her first choice university to study psychology; she had always been fascinated with people. It was an exciting prospect, although her three best friends had all chosen different school and she knew keeping in touch would be hard. But she also knew that her friends were her family, and she wouldn't give up on them because of some distance. Lyssa smiled to herself as she felt almost certain that the four of them would be alright in the end.

She then pulled the blanket over her legs and reached into her bag to pull out a banana nut muffin and a book. She ate the muffin quickly and then settled down to read contentedly, sparing one more glance at the city lights.

A short time later, Lyssa awoke with a start. She immediately noticed that she had fallen asleep on the roof, with her book in her lap. She moved, groaning a bit at the slight stiffness she felt from falling asleep half-sitting in the lawn chair. As she swung her legs over the side of the chair, a noise from somewhere nearby caught her attention. She couldn't tell exactly what it was; it sounded like feet shuffling. Lyssa looked around, but saw nothing. The roof was empty but for her; she stood and walked toward the edge, looking out at the surrounding rooftops. She thought maybe the sound had come from a neighboring building; perhaps someone else in the area wanted some quiet time under the stars, too.

For several minutes she heard and saw nothing, and thought about gathering her things to go back inside the building. Then, she heard a soft _thunk_ from behind her, followed by a harsh whisper that sounded like, "Mikey!" Lyssa froze for a second before quickly turning around, glancing at the buildings around her before walking over to the opposite end of her rooftop, behind the doorway that led into the stairwell. She softly called out, "Who's there?"

No one answered. As she rounded the doorway, Lyssa found no trace of anyone. She looked up and the building directly across the alley, the roof of which was a few stories higher than the one she stood on. She thought she saw a silhouette or two move, but it was so brief that she assumed her eyes were playing tricks on her. Regardless, her heart was beating a little faster than usual and Lyssa thought it was a good time to get her things and go back inside. As she turned toward her corner, however, she happened to look down at the ground. A small patch of blue caught her eye, and she walked over to it instead. She picked it up and examined it; it was a ripped piece of cloth, soft and the same shade of blue as a perfectly clear summer sky. She noticed it had lain near a stack of broken boards that had been on the roof forever. Her heart pounded once again as she wondered if someone had been here, and ripped a piece of their clothing when they hurried away. But how could they have vanished so quickly? It wasn't as if there was a fire escape that went all the way to the roof.

Shaking her head, Lyssa stowed the cloth in her pocket and set her wide brown eyes on her belongings. She quickly got her things together and headed back to her apartment.

Leonardo stood on a roof several buildings away from the one where the girl had slept. He took a deep breath, trying to scale back his annoyance at Mikey for almost blowing their cover. A soft wind blew the tails of his mask out to the right of him, and he sighed when he noticed the ripped edge of one dangling, now slightly shorter than its twin. There was nothing for it now; he was just thankful that she hadn't actually seen any of them.

They hadn't meant to wake her. The four turtles had been on their way back from patrolling when Mikey had spotted the girl sleeping on an old chair on that rooftop. He had drawn their attention to her by practically shouting, "Hey dudes! Check out the sleeping chick!" This was closely followed by a frown and the much more softly spoken, "What if she's cold? We should check on her."

The other three had approached Mikey's vantage point and Raph had argued that she was probably fine, but ultimately Leo had to agree that it was odd for a girl to sleep on the roof of a building. He decided that they should just check on her quietly, to make sure she wasn't in any kind of immediate trouble. And that had gone just fine, until she started to wake up.

When the turtles realized she was just sleeping, with no injuries or signs of abuse or anything, they started to back off. They were almost on the next roof when they noticed her suddenly sit up. The brothers tried to hurry their escape, but then it happened.

Mikey dropped his nunchuks.

In a rare moment of clumsiness, even by his youngest brother's standards, Mikey's nunchaku had slipped out of his belt and hit the roof with a soft thud as the brothers leapt to the nearest building to hide. The girl had faced the opposite direction, but Leo could see her body stiffen and knew that she'd heard it. Mentally cursing, he signaled his brothers to hide and made a quick dive for the nunchaku before she could see him. He grabbed them and leapt up to the next roof, losing a piece of his bandana to a snag in the pile of boards he had knelt next to. Leo and the others dove for cover as they heard her call out and approach the far side of the roof. They waited until they knew she'd gone inside before moving further away and glaring at Mikey who, to his credit, wore an apologetic smile before simply saying, "My bad?"

As Leo watched, his brothers stood several feet behind him, Raph chewing Mikey out and Donnie shaking his head at the pair of them. Leo took one last look at the roof where they had seen the girl, and approached his brothers.

"Come on, guys, she didn't see us, okay? Can we get back to the lair now?" Donnie asked.

"Yeah, she didn't see us, no thanks to you, Mikey," Raph said, eyes narrowed at the younger turtle. Before Mikey could reply, Leo decided to cut in.

"Guys, Donnie's right. The important thing is that we got away unseen. I will come back tomorrow night and keep an eye out for that girl, just so we're sure. But I'm pretty certain she didn't see us and even if he heard us, she'll likely chalk it up to run-of-the-mill human hoodlums or something."

"Hoodlums Leo? Really?" Raph snorted. Leo sighed.

"You get what I mean. But I'll come back and check, just in case. Okay?"

The three brothers nodded. As they silently headed for the sewers, Leo thought of the pretty girl with the dark curls, and hoped she wouldn't pose any threat to his family's secret existence.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to Mindy1981 and BrySt1 for your kind reviews! I really appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the ninja turtles or anything related to them. I only own my OCs and plot.**

When she woke up the next morning, Lyssa thought she imagined the sounds she heard on the roof the previous night. But then she noticed the tiny piece of blue cloth sitting harmlessly on her night stand, and she instantly became confused and a little frightened. With all the time she spent up there, she never knew anyone else to go up on the roof. In fact, she never once ran into any signs of life besides her own until last night. Not that Lyssa would begrudge them being there; it wasn't like the roof was cordoned off just for her. But she was napping and vulnerable and it could have been anyone up there; their unbelievably fast getaway only made her feel more uneasy. She still couldn't figure out how they'd disappeared or where they went, but she knew when she looked at the torn cloth that someone had definitely been there. Hell, she thought she saw a shadow, but it had looked…odd. Lyssa shook that off as an overactive imagination and instead focused her thoughts on what she heard and what she found on the rooftop.

Someone had been there; who or why, she had no idea. Lyssa felt disturbed by the idea that someone might have snuck up on her if she hadn't woken up, but a part of her was also very curious about who else was on that roof. That low whisper she heard had sounded young, if a bit stern. She supposed it could have been some random teenager, but somehow that didn't feel like the truth to her. There were too many unknowns; how long had they been there? Had they seen her sleeping? Why hadn't they bothered her? Or robbed her? They didn't even wake her, except for with their movement. Then they had run away. It didn't make any sense.

The more she thought about it, Lyssa became determined to go back to the roof and enjoy her time as usual. She figured that if they had intended to harm her, they would have done so while she was sleeping. She would be careful, of course; She would do a sweep of the roof during the day first, and then make sure to take her cell phone and something she could use as a weapon with her at night. Her curiosity may be in full swing, but she would be ready for anything.

Leonardo returned to the rooftop the following night just as he promised his brothers. He crouched near the edge of the roof next to the one the girl had slept upon, waiting to see if she would return. He would simply assess the situation to see if she acted suspiciously. He would look for any sign that she saw them or wanted to expose them. He needed to know that she wasn't going to go on a witch hunt that would make it impossible for them to move around the city. Finally, she emerged from the stairwell.

Her dark curls were loose; Leo noticed they fell to just past her shoulders. She wore a plain white tee and skinny jeans as she carried a bag and what looked like a baseball bat over to her chair. He saw her looking around, double checking the vacancy of the rooftop before settling into the chair.

"_She's probably afraid we were criminals_," he thought. The girl seemed small sitting alone on the roof, and yet there was a quiet confidence in they way she continued with her activities in spite of what she thought happened that Leo found intriguing. He moved closer to the building to observe her, staying in the shadows as he did.

She was reading a book. Her posture was relaxed as he moved closer, but then she closed the book and looked up at the sky for a moment before reaching into her pocket. By now, Leo was on her roof, hiding the shadows of some of the vents and other structures scattered across it. He watched with wide eyes as he realized she held the torn piece of his mask in her left palm, staring at it with a curious expression on her face. He stood, thinking that he should probably leave and get back to his brothers before something else happened. She didn't seem to have a clue about them anyway.

Lyssa stared at the tiny piece of cloth, wondering why she felt such a strong interest in knowing where it came from. She didn't really understand why she kept it or why she felt such reluctance to get rid of it. But at that moment, she started to get the strangest feeling of being watched; as if she suddenly knew that she wasn't alone. Her heart beat faster as she wondered if whoever had been there the night before had returned. On instinct, her gaze quickly slid to the back right corner of the roof, near the large chimney. She gasped when she saw a large shadow, which disappeared quickly behind the chimney at the sound she made.

"Who's there? What do you want?" Lyssa called out nervously. She grabbed the bat lying next to her chair and stood. She waited, but there was no response.

"I know you're there; I saw your shadow. What are you doing?" She raised the bat cautiously and took a step forward.

"Wait, stay where you are. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm not here to harm you, I promise," Leo answered. He debated not saying anything, but when he saw her prepared to walk over to his hiding spot, he knew he probably wouldn't have time to get away unnoticed. So he made a choice and tried to calm her down by talking to her. He knew he was taking a risk, but it was his only option since she had looked up so suddenly and seen his form in the darkness. "_Damn it_," he thought, "_I need to fix this_."

Lyssa stopped and stood very still. She recognized the voice from last night, though this time he wasn't whispering. His voice was soothing in tone and had a slightly deep timbre that made Lyssa shiver a little, to her embarrassment. She focused on his words and asked the first thing that came to mind:

"You were here last night weren't you?" There was a pause before the voice answered.

"Yes, but I was only passing through. I meant no harm. I saw you sleeping and thought you might need some help, so I checked on you. I didn't mean to wake you or scare you like that," Leo explained. He tried to keep his voice level and calm, hoping his tone would help put her at ease.

"Then why did you come back tonight?" she suddenly asked. _"Shit. Well, when in doubt, go with the truth." _

"I came back to check…to make sure you hadn't seen me," Leo stated. At least he managed to keep his brothers out of it, and she hadn't actually seen him. Maybe he could salvage the situation and make a clean break before he made any more mistakes.

His statement confused Lyssa. If all he did was make sure she was okay, why did he need to ensure that she hadn't seen him? And why did he run away in the first place? She decided to ask about it.

"Why is it a bad thing if I saw you? Are you…on the run or something?"

Leo chuckled briefly, then caught himself. He had to be very careful with what he said.

"Um, no, I'm not on the run…I'm not a criminal or a runaway or anything. I just have…personal reasons for not wanting to be seen by others." He subtly peeked around the edge of the chimney to get a look at her face so he could gauge her reaction. She looked confused for a moment before her face suddenly lit up in understanding. Leo's heartbeat quickened at the thought that he might have said too much.

"Oh," she said. Lyssa thought back to how oddly shaped his shadow had been, and suddenly thought she understood what he meant by "personal reasons". He might be physically handicapped or just different somehow. She guessed he was insecure about whatever aspect of his appearance stood out.

"I think I get it. You're…shy, right?" Leo smiled to himself. He heard the undertone in her words, and knew that she understood, in some form, what he meant. She was being very understanding by choosing not to ask for specifics. He was amazed that she responded so kindly to someone she knew nothing about. He looked around again to see that she was sitting in her chair once more, but still facing his direction with a curious look on her face. A light breeze caused a few of her curls to fly in her face, and she gently tucked them behind her ear.

"What's your name?" she suddenly asked. Leo froze for a moment, debating the idea, but then decided it wouldn't hurt to tell her. She seemed kind, and he didn't think she would be any kind of danger to him or his family.

"Leonardo. But you can call me Leo. What's yours?" he replied. He saw her smile for the first time at the sound of his name, and found himself fascinated by how her entire face seemed to light up when she did.

"Lysandra, but my family and friends call me Lyssa. Nice to know I'm not alone in the 'Old L-names Club', Leo," she said with a laugh. He was pleasantly surprised by her unusual name and joined in her laughter at her last comment.

"That's a beautiful name," he remarked honestly. Leo watched from his corner as her brown eyes widened and she blushed slightly. He chuckled softly at her.

"Thanks," she answered. Lyssa had no idea who this guy was, but the way he spoke and the sound of his voice relaxed her, as if she could somehow sense that she could trust him. She wasn't always the most open when it came to new people, but something in her gut told her that he was okay. Plus, his need to hide himself intrigued her. She wondered if maybe people had treated him badly before, and caused him to become so shy about confronting others. She felt a twinge of sympathy at that thought and decided. Briefly, she acknowledged that she could be crazy for conversing on the roof with a total stranger that she couldn't even see, but she pushed that thought away when she heard Leo shuffling.

"It was nice speaking with you, Lyssa, but I should probably get going," Leo said. He knew that the longer he stayed, the more likely he was to let something slip that he shouldn't. He had to think about his family's safety first, and though she genuinely appeared harmless, he shouldn't take any unnecessary risks. At least, that was his plan until she spoke again.

"Wait, Leo…I was just going to ask if maybe you wanted to stay and talk for a while? I spend most of my nights up here and I've never run into anyone up here before. You seem like a nice guy so I just wondered if you'd like some company for a while. You don't have to show yourself if you don't want to. I'm fine with just this," Lyssa explained quietly. She thought it would be nice for both, but what if she was overreaching? She was fine being alone, but she liked the idea of having someone to talk to on her rooftop haven for once. She waited nervously, listening to Leo's silence as he considered what she said.

He was caught off-guard by her request, and he was torn. He had to admit that he was curious about her and the thought of continuing to talk with her interested him. But he also worried that he might reveal too much information about himself and that she would react badly. Any consequences that happened for his brothers then would be completely his fault.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Lyssa…" he began.

"I understand your reluctance, and I won't take it personally if you have to go. But I'd like it if you stayed. I promise I won't push you for anything you don't want to share," Lyssa assured him. She sent a sweet smile in his general direction. Something in Leo softened when he saw her smile again. And he decided that he would chalk it up to research, or a thorough investigation of last night's potential consequences; something that would satisfy the protective older brother in him that made him constantly think of his family's best interests. He stayed and talked with Lyssa for three hours.

They talked about many things, hesitant at first in their odd arrangement. But once they got past their basic likes, dislikes, and ages, the two found some common ground and they grew more comfortable. They discovered a shared love of reading all genres of books, comics included. They debated the virtues of each of their favorite Sherlock Holmes stories and why they loved them. Lyssa and Leo laughed and shared their hobbies and interests with each other. It surprised her how often he meditated, and figured that accounted for the calm energy she felt roll off of him even when she couldn't actually see him. By the end of the night, Lyssa felt like she had a window into the kind of person Leo was, and she felt that her instinct had been right about him. He was a trustworthy kind of guy.

Leo felt much the same about Lyssa. Talking to her had taken his mind off of his responsibilities in a way that few other things ever had. He actually found himself relaxed and worry-free during their conversation. She was intelligent, funny, and a sweet person; and he had already seen that she could be brave when she held the baseball bat, ready to defend herself if the need arose. They had an easy, comfortable conversation and Leo's gut told him she could be a very good friend to him and his brothers, given the chance.

When it got late, she asked him if he would come back the next evening. He did. And the next. He was there every night for the next five nights after that. Back at the lair, Leo had told his brothers about speaking to her and naturally, Raphael promptly started to rag on him for almost getting caught. But he could tell his brothers were curious once he told them how quickly she extended her kindness and how she hadn't pushed him to come out of the shadows or reveal anything about himself that he didn't feel comfortable telling her. Mikey had been the one to jump up excitedly and exclaim, "Dudes! Maybe she could be the next April! I bet she'd be totally cool with having some ninja turtle pals!"

"Mikey, our appearance is a shock to anyone and although Leo's been speaking with her, she's never seen him and he hasn't known her for very long. We can't just go jumping out at her and yelling 'surprise!'" Donnie reasoned. Leo had agreed with him on that one, though he had the feeling that Lyssa would take things better than most other people. From the nights he had spent talking to her, he determined that she didn't have a judgmental bone in her body. Of course, when he voiced his positive opinion of her, both Raph and Mikey got a mischievous glint in their eyes that signaled an evening of headaches for Leo. Sure enough, both brothers teased him about whether he might actually _like_ Lyssa.

"Well whaddaya know. I think Fearless has a crush on someone, Mikey…" Raph started.

"Ooh, I think you're right Raph. Awe Leo, big bro, you're in love! L-O-V-" Mikey chanted.

"Cut it out guys, it's not like that! And anyway, we need to train right about now," Leo interrupted with a huff. At least if he could get them arguing about training, they might stop teasing him about Lyssa. His heart fluttered when he thought about her. He had so much fun talking to her, and found her fascinating. He would never admit it to the guys, but he did think she was beautiful. Leo wanted to show himself to her in the hopes that she would accept him, but even if he was starting to like her, he wouldn't compromise his family like that. Not without their full consent and agreement on whether to tell her the truth or not. After all, they would each be affected by the outcome.

Two nights after they had that discussion, Leo and the others decided with advice from Master Splinter to introduce themselves to Lyssa. They figured that if Leo was going to keep up a friendship with her, he would need to be honest with her and see if she could handle the truth. Master Splinter wisely advised that while an extra ally would be a good thing, it wouldn't do to overload her by introducing her to all the brothers at once. So Leo would show himself first and explain, and hopefully, she would be okay enough to meet everyone else.

So that night, Leo headed to meet Lyssa on her roof with a purpose in mind. He was nervous and excited at the thought. Once again she wore simple jeans and a plain burgundy tee-shirt, her curls loose and brown eyes bright with warmth. She smiled when she heard the telltale thud of Leo's feet hitting the roof. He had told her about his passion for ninjitsu, so she assumed his skills helped him find his way to the roof without her detection. She turned to the area where he had taken to sitting in the shadows and called out a greeting.

"Hi, Leo. How are you tonight?" she asked politely. She moved toward her chair and sat.

"Hi Lyssa. I'm fine, but I have something to tell you tonight. How are you doing?" Leo answered. Lyssa's curiosity was immediately piqued. She started to tell him about her tough day with her parents, how they were fighting for most of the day and silent for the rest of it. She had gone virtually ignored until her mother had apologetically offered to make dinner after realizing she had focused all her energy on yelling at Lyssa's father. Lyssa had breathed a heavy sigh when she had made it up to the roof.

"I'm sorry you had a hard time today. But at least your mom realized she was overlooking you and tried to apologize," Leo commented. He saw her smile sadly.

"Yeah. It's not her fault; she has it tough too, with all the business responsibility and my dad acting the way he does. But you said you wanted to tell me something, Leo?" Lyssa said. Leo tensed. "_Moment of truth," _he thought.

"Oh, yeah I do. I wanted…to show you who I am. I trust you, Lyssa. I consider you a friend. So I want to be honest with you and let you see me as I am," Leo revealed. Lyssa's eyes widened in surprise, and a smile spread across her face.

"Thank you, Leo. I'm honored by your decision to trust me. I'm ready when you are," she said softly. Leo looked at her for a moment before asking her to close her eyes. She did, and Leo silently made his way over to her. He stood directly in front of her and took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Please try to stay calm," he pleaded quietly. Lyssa's heart clenched at his words; she refused to treat him badly no matter what he looked like. He had become a friend to her in such a short time, and she only wanted to make him feel at ease. She smiled with her eyes closed and nodded, her heart beating quickly in her chest.

"Open your eyes," he whispered. She did, and felt several different emotions flood her mind at once; confusion, shock, wonder, and something she couldn't name that caused her cheeks to flush as she looked into his startlingly blue eyes. Eyes that matched the blue cloth mask that surrounded them; the mask that she noticed was missing a small patch from one of its ends. She noticed how his posture was stiff, and he was watching her like he was looking for any sign that she was afraid. But she wasn't. The one thing she didn't feel was fear.

She took in his deep green skin, his muscular arms and legs, and the plastron covering his fit chest and abdomen. She noticed his three-fingered hands and the large, beautifully patterned shell upon his back. She even took note of the katanas sheathed across his shell. But the thing that completely got her was his clear, beautiful blue eyes; she could see everything he was feeling in their depths. He worried about her reaction, she could tell; but she was simply blown away by him.

"There's a long story behind this, but this is who I am," said Leo. He looked at her, waiting for a reaction.

"Wow," she breathed, "You're beautiful, Leo." Then she realized that she said those words aloud and blushed furiously.

"What I mean is, you're amazing; completely unlike anything I would've expected. You're…a turtle," she said the last part with awe in her voice.

"Yes," Leo conceded, feeling bare.

"…with really beautiful eyes," Lyssa admitted honestly. Leo looked at her in shock, blushing slightly. He couldn't believe she said that. She found him…beautiful? His heart skipped a beat at the thought.

"Thank you," he said, still blushing. "I'm surprised at how well you've taken this, considering most people would be afraid."

She looked at him curiously and stood, taking a step closer to him. When he didn't back up, she took another.

"I couldn't be afraid of you, Leo, you're my friend. I've always gotten the feeling I could trust you and that hasn't changed. Besides, you really aren't scary looking, you know," Lyssa said with a smile. She reached out and shyly took his hand in hers. Leo smiled down at her and marveled at her easy acceptance of him. They sat and talked for a while longer about normal things, laughing as the tense moment dissipated. Lyssa loved that she could look at Leo and see his reactions to things now, and Leo enjoyed not having to hide from her any longer. Finally Leo stood up from the chair they had shared.

"You know, I think it's a good time for you to meet my brothers," Leo announced.

"Brothers?" Lyssa asked. Leo had some explaining to do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the ninja turtles or anything relating to them. I only own my OCs and plot.**

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows, guys! I appreciate it! ****BrySt1: I also wish I had a giant talking turtle. So I feel your pain. lol. **Hope you like this chapter, guys.

By the time Leo finished explaining his family's origin to Lyssa, it was past midnight. She sent her mother a text message to let her know she was still up on the roof, claiming she was reaching the end of a good book. Lyssa knew she didn't have much more time before she needed to go back to her apartment, so she decided to wish Leo a good night. She was reeling from the incredible story he'd told her, and the startling information that he wasn't the only giant ninja turtle roaming the city.

"So, how are you taking all this?" Leo asked, looking at her closely. Lyssa decided to be totally honest with him.

"Well, I'm still really surprised about all of it. The mutagen, your family, this foot clan you mentioned; it's a bit to process. But mostly, I think it's awesome that you and your brothers go around protecting the city…and they sound like a great bunch of guys," Lyssa answered. Leo smiled, and nodded once.

"They are. But you don't have to take my word for it. The guys really want to meet you, and since you've taken everything in stride so far, I was thinking I could introduce you to them soon," Leo said. Lyssa's eyes widened and she smiled brightly.

"I'd like that, Leo. Will you bring them here?" she asked. He nodded.

"It would be easiest that way." Lyssa yawned, and not wanting to get in trouble with her mother, decided to head in before it got any later.

"Well. I should get to bed now, Leo. I don't want my parents to think I fell off the roof or something," she joked. Leo smiled in response.

"Okay, don't let me keep you. I have to do some late patrolling with my brothers anyway before heading home. See you tomorrow night?" Leo looked at her hopefully.

"I'll be here," Lyssa said with a soft smile. She moved closer to Leo and leaned up on her toes to place a soft kiss on his cheek before quickly stepping back.

"Goodnight, Leo," she said, before walking towards the door to the stairwell. Leo smiled and briefly touched his cheek before he replied.

"Goodnight, Lyssa. Sleep well."

As it turned out, a few days went by before Lyssa could meet Leo's brothers. Leo came to see her the night after he told her about them to let her know that he probably wouldn't be around for a few days, because of increased foot clan activity. He said that lately he and his brothers had stopped a higher number of foot-related break-ins and thefts than normal, and that they needed to canvas the area and try to find out exactly what the foot were planning. Lyssa understood, just as she understood the danger he and his brothers put themselves in to protect the people of New York. So she made Leo promise to be careful and to call her as soon as he was able once they figured out what was happening. She gave him her number, and he returned the favor by giving her the number to his shell cell. Leo would've been happy about this development if he didn't have the weight of the unsettling foot activity on his mind. As it was, he enjoyed their brief meeting as much as he could and secretly thrilled at Lyssa's obvious worry for him. He tried his best to reassure her before he left, and looked forward to getting this whole mess with the foot settled before it could reach Lyssa's neighborhood.

Several days later, Lyssa was having breakfast with her mom before she went off to work, trying her best to enjoy the time with her busy parent and not drown herself in worry for Leonardo and his mystery brothers. Her mother even noticed her distraction, asking,

"Lyssa, sweetie, is everything alright? You look worried about something. Having a rough patch with one of your friends?" Lyssa grimaced when she realized how obvious she was being if even her mom was picking up on it. She had promised Leo that she would try to relax about it, and she wanted to keep that promise. There was nothing helpful about spending her time moping.

"Oh, its nothing really, mom. Tabby was feeling a little down yesterday, and I guess I was just wondering if she was okay," Lyssa lied smoothly. She hoped mentioning her friend Tabitha would satisfy her mother as an explanation. She didn't like to lie, but she knew she couldn't tell her mother about what was really on her mind, either.

"Oh okay. I hope so, dear. Maybe you should go see her later, or go for ice cream with her. Do something that will cheer you both up. Here, it'll be my treat," her mother suggested, handing Lyssa a twenty-dollar bill she pulled from her purse. Lyssa started to protest, but her mother insisted, wanting to help her daughter and her daughter's best friend with whatever was going on. So Lyssa took the money, feeling guilty, and decided to call Tabitha and see if she was free to hang out somewhere. At least then her mother wouldn't be wasting her money on a total lie.

She walked into her bedroom and plopped down on her bed, reaching for her cell phone to call Tabitha. Just as she picked it up, the phone vibrated, signaling that she had a text message to read. She opened it and her heart fluttered as she realized it was from Leo.

"**Hi Lyssa, it's Leo. Are you free to hang out tonight? My brothers and I wrapped up some pretty crazy stuff with the foot clan. They won't be a problem for a while. I could bring the guys, finally introduce you,**" it read. Lyssa smiled and typed her reply.

"**That sounds great, I'd love to finally meet your brothers. I'm glad you're okay, Leo. You are okay, right?**" Her phone buzzed a second later.

"**Yes, I'm okay. We all are. They'll be really glad to meet you,**"Leo replied.

"**Good. And I'm looking forward to meeting them too. See you guys around nine**?"

"**Sounds good; we'll be there. Later, Lyssa.**" She smiled at Leo's text before typing a quick reply. Lyssa was looking forward to that night, for sure, but she was also nervous to meet Leo's brothers. What if they didn't like her? Would that mean she couldn't see Leo anymore? Why did that thought bother her more every time she revisited it? She shook her head and decided to focus on being happy that Leo was safe and that she would finally get to see him again.

After she heard from him, Lyssa decided to continue with the task of calling her friend Tabitha to see if she was free. The phone rang only twice before her friend picked up.

"Hey Lyssa! How's it hanging?" Tabitha asked excitedly. Lyssa loved that her friend was always so enthusiastic when she heard from Lyssa.

"Hey, Tabby. I was wondering if you'd want to hang out? My mom gave me some cash so we could go out, and I could really use some 'bff' time," Lyssa answered. She immediately heard a delighted squeal on the other end of the line.

"Sure, I'd love to go! Where to?" Tabitha questioned. Lyssa told her about her mother's ice cream suggestion, but they decided on lunch instead. They set up a time and ended the call to get ready. Lyssa was happy to get out of her apartment and go somewhere other than the roof for some free time. Once she was dressed and ready, she grabbed her purse and headed out to meet Tabitha at her house.

Once there, Tabitha hugged her and exclaimed, "It feels like forever since we've hung out! The last time was before graduation, wasn't it?"

Lyssa thought about it and realized Tabitha was right. She hadn't seen her friend in weeks.

"Gee, it has been a while. Sorry Tabby, it's just been crazy at home and with paperwork for school," Lyssa apologized. Tabitha nodded in understanding, having the same worries and preliminary stuff due for her college as well. She smiled at Lyssa, remembering the last time they spent the day together. They were with their other two best friends, Lindsey and Marissa.

"Hey, remember how the four of us went to the mall and we lost Marissa in that clothing store?" Lyssa laughed as she too remembered that day.

"Yeah, and we walked all over the store, only to realize we walked past her like fifty times?" Lyssa teased. The girls laughed at the memory as they walked to the local pizza place to have their lunch.

"That was such a fun day. We should call the girls up and do it again soon. Well, all of it except the losing Marissa part," Tabitha laughed. Lyssa agreed as they reached the pizza parlor.

The pair ordered their slices and a couple of sodas, then waited for their order at a table. As they waited, Lyssa dug around in her bag for the money her mom had given her so she could pay for the food. As she did this, she noticed a tiny square of blue cloth sitting at the bottom of her purse. She blushed for a moment, realizing she had carried the torn piece of Leo's mask with her this whole time. Her blush did not go unnoticed by her companion.

"Lyssa, if the color of your face is anything to go by, I'd say you must have something really scandalous in that bag! Spill," Tabitha whispered teasingly as she leaned closer to her best friend. Lyssa looked up quickly and if possible, blushed even brighter.

"What? No, I don't have anything in here," she replied quickly. Tabitha laughed as they retrieved their food and sat back down at a table by the front window. Lyssa stared intently at it for a moment, and Tabitha smiled and gently bumped her shoulder.

"Hey, I was only joking, Lyssa. You just got so red all of a sudden. Anything you want to talk about? I'm awesome at keeping things secret, you know," she offered. At first it looked like Lyssa would refuse, but then she looked at Tabitha and cleared her throat.

"Well…it's just that I met this guy," Lyssa began. Tabitha immediately brightened and flashed a smile at her friend. Not wanting to interrupt too much, she simply said, "Lyssa, you sly dog." Lyssa laughed before pushing a stray curl behind her ear and continuing.

"He's a bit different. His looks, I mean; he isn't ugly or anything, just different. I met him recently and we've spent every night talking. I think I'm really starting to like him, which is…confusing," she confessed. Tabitha looked at her kindly.

"Why is it confusing? As long as he isn't a criminal, is age-appropriate, and has good manners, I don't see the problem. Does he have good manners?"

"Well, yeah, of course he does," answered Lyssa, unable to imagine a rude Leo. She giggled at the idea.

"Good. My mom always says that a guy that treats you with respect and kindness is one to keep." With that, Tabitha dug into her pizza. Lyssa smiled and ate her food as well, marveling at the way her friend could always simplify things in a matter of seconds. There was still something that worried her though, and Tabitha could see it.

"What else is on your mind, girlie?" she asked. Lyssa took a long drink of her soda before answering.

"I'm going to meet his brothers tonight; I guess I'm just nervous. On top of that, Leo was away the last few days and I missed him, but I feel weird about letting him know that, so…" she trailed off. Tabitha smiled again, amused to see her level-headed friend so flustered.

"So you're worried that you're going to be super awkward around him and his brothers, right?" Lyssa nodded.

"You'll be fine, Lyssa. You're easy to love, so don't worry about his brothers. Just be yourself and do whatever feels natural in the moment; even if that includes expressing a few feelings," Tabitha said, teasing at the end. "You have great instincts, just trust them. That will take some of the pressure off, I promise," she added. She watched her friend visibly relax and take a deep breath.

"Thanks Tabby; you always know how to keep my feet on the ground," Lyssa said with a bright smile. Friend duties taken care of, Tabitha decided it was past time for the real teasing to begin.

"So…you said his name is Leo? Leo and Lyssa…where have I heard that before?" She paused. "Oh yeah! I think there's a rhyme somewhere that goes something like, 'Leo and Lyssa, sitting in a tree, k-I-s-s-I-n-g.'" She laughed loudly as Lyssa blushed heavily and glared at her.

"Very funny." Lyssa was beginning to crack a smile. Tabitha smirked at that.

"I thought so," she replied.

The girls spent the rest of their time together laughing and walking about the city arm in arm. When it was about six, they decided to call it a day so that Lyssa could go home and get ready to meet Leo and his brothers. Tabitha walked her home and insisted that she wear something cute for her "date". She laughed as Lyssa became flustered at the word. They said goodbye, and Tabitha made her promise to call the next day with details. Lyssa smiled after her friend left, glad that she had shared her time and her worries with her. She went up to her apartment and said hello to her dad before hopping into the shower.

When she finished, she stood in her room in her underwear, trying to figure out what to wear. Although she knew Tabitha was joking when she said it, Lyssa did want to look nice. She went through her closet, finally picking out a pair of black skinny jeans and a fitted blue wrap top. She also put on her short black boots and smoothed out her curls once they were dry. Finally, she applied a small amount of makeup, being cautious not to overdo it. By the time she was ready, it was shortly before nine, and her mother was still at work. She made herself a quick dinner consisting of canned soup, not wanting to make anything big and risk being late. She ate her food, then told her father she was going up to the roof. He nodded and she left, taking her purse with her phone in it with her.

When she walked on to the roof, it was ten minutes to nine. Lyssa looked around, her nerves kicking in slightly as the hour approached. She moved to the edge overlooking the front of the building, watching the city lights and sighing. It was a peaceful, beautiful night, she had to admit. While she was admiring the night sky, her phone rang in her purse. She pulled it out and smiled when the caller id read "Leo".

"Hi, Leo," she answered when she picked up the phone.

"Hey, Lyssa. Are you ready?" Leo asked, figuring he should get straight to it. After all, he would see her shortly and have time to chat with her then.

"Yeah, I'm up on the roof," she stated. There was a small hitch in her voice; he figured she might be nervous.

"Okay, we're on our way over. And Lyssa?"

"Yes?"

"You're wonderful. You have nothing to be nervous about," he said quietly, but confidently. She smiled on her end of the call.

"Thank you, Leo. I'll see you in a few," she replied. They hung up, and Lyssa waited for the brothers to arrive. Leo's words had done wonders to calm her; now all she really felt was excitement. Then, she heard them. _Thud, thud,_ _thud, thud_; four sets of feet hit the roof behind her. She turned around with a smile.

The four turtles stood together, each looking at her curiously; Leo stood slightly in front of the others, a warm smile on his face. She recalled what Leo had told her about the other three; Donatello was the one in the purple mask, and he was the brainy, technical turtle of the bunch. Michelangelo was the one in orange, and she could tell from his big, goofy grin that Leo wasn't kidding about his youngest brother's friendly, energetic nature. Finally, she looked over at Raphael, in the red mask, who seemed to measure her with his gaze. She remembered that Leo called him the most loyal, sarcastic, and impulsive brother; he was quickest to jump into a fight, but always looked out for his family and their few human friends. They had each sounded like great personalities to Lyssa, and she smiled brightly at them now that they were in front of her.

Then Leo stepped forward to make introductions. He gestured from Lyssa to his brothers, stating, "Guys, this is Lyssa. Lyssa, these are my brothers Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello." One by one, the three turtles stepped forward and shook hands with Lyssa, Mikey doing so rather enthusiastically.

"You can call me Mikey; Leo says you're like super cool, and that you play video games! What kind of games do you play?" he asked excitedly. Lyssa smiled and named a few. She laughed as she literally watched Mikey's eyes light up and his smile grow even bigger.

"Awesome! I love those games! Leo, your girlfriend's a totally cool chick!" he declared. Both Leo and Lyssa blushed, with Leo yelling, "Mikey!" before Donatello came over to Lyssa and distracted her.

Lyssa enjoyed talking to Donnie; she told him about her plans for college in the fall and discovered that while he had a stronger interest in medicine and mechanical things, he had read a few psychology texts as well. Donnie was sweet and easy to talk to, and Lyssa found herself laughing at his stories about his brothers' antics in their home.

"…and then he hit Raph square in face with that water balloon, and we could practically see the steam start to roll out of his head," Donnie said. Lyssa laughed and cringed simultaneously, figuring the story did not end well for Michelangelo. The sheepish grin on his face as he listened to Donnie telling it confirmed her thoughts.

"So Raph chased him all over the lair until he finally tripped on one of Leo's comics. Then Raph knocked him on his shell and spun him around until he apologized and admitted that Raph was the greatest, the most handsome-"

"Alright, Donnie, she gets the idea," Raph interrupted with a smirk. Lyssa laughed heartily, patting Mikey on the shoulder before a thought occurred to her.

"Did Mikey get you with a water balloon, Donnie?" she asked. At this, Donnie appeared to puff up slightly with pride.

"Nope. I put a lock on the door to my lab," he answered, winking at Lyssa. She laughed loudly and high-fived the pragmatic turtle. She looked over at Leo, who was talking quietly with Raphael, and smiled at him when he caught her eye. He smiled back and she noticed Raph smirking.

All the while, Donnie had proceeded to tell her about a few of his inventions, including the vehicle the turtles had fixed up and turned into their own personal battle tank. He started to tell her the specifics of its features, but simplified when he saw her confused expression.

"Sorry, I get a little carried away sometimes," he said. Lyssa just shook her head and smiled.

"It's okay, Donnie. Your enthusiasm is refreshing; I'm just not up on all the engineer-speak," she responded. Raphael chose that moment to join the conversation.

"Well, no worries; no one said you had to be the brightest bulb in the fixture," he teased. Lyssa could see the mischievous glint in his eyes and she heard the underlying jab in his words, but could also feel that he was only joking with her. So she decided to play along.

She narrowed her eyes playfully. "Wait. You're the _turtle _and you're calling me slow?" She raised an eyebrow at him. Mikey immediately burst into laughter, following it up with "Ooh, burn!" Leo and Donnie looked at each other and then cracked up themselves. Lyssa smiled, looking only at Raph, who slowly cracked a wide smile and laughed himself. He shook his head, then poked her in the shoulder gently.

"You're alright, Lyssa," he said, still smiling. She thanked him and returned the sentiment.

After getting to know Lyssa some more, the brothers decided to show off some of their ninja skills to her. This gave her the opportunity to talk privately with Leo while the others prepared to spar. He sat beside her on the lawn chair they often shared, while his brothers stretched and argued playfully on the other side of the roof. While they were distracted, Lyssa took Leo's hand and held it. Encouraged by the gesture, he looked at her smiling face and stated,

"You look beautiful tonight. I wanted to tell you earlier; blue is a good color on you." Lyssa saw the teasing light in his eyes and blushed. He smiled at her reaction, and gently rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Thanks Leo," she said, feeling a little flustered. Her hand tingled where he touched it. "I thought you might appreciate the blue," she joked. She looked at him for a moment before she declared, "I love your brothers. They are hilarious." She smiled as she looked over at them.

Leo chuckled. "I thought you would. And they feel the same; I can tell. You had Mikey within five seconds." Lyssa laughed and bumped his shoulder with her own. They looked at each other, taking each other in and noticing every detail. Leo didn't even notice he leaned in a bit until the pair heard a distinct cough from the other side of the roof. Leo and Lyssa quickly pulled apart and blushed furiously, looking over at the other three turtles with sheepish smiles.

Raphael smirked and said, "Well, if you're done getting lost in each other, Donnie and me are going to spar first." Mikey giggled and looked at the them as if he were looking at an adorable puppy.

Lyssa glanced beside her to see Leo looking embarrassed and laughed. She gave Raph the thumbs up and the two turtles proceeded to spar. Mikey came over to Lyssa and sat down on the roof beside her chair. She watched Raph and Donnie's fluid movements with awe, amazed at their speed and agility. Donnie twirled his bo staff so fast that Lyssa could barely see it, and Raph moved his sais with incredible ferocity, looking for a weak point in Donnie's defenses.

"We're next Leo," Mikey said gleefully. Leo nodded with a small grin. After an impressive bout, Raphael's strength won him the match. He clapped Donnie on the back and smiled at Lyssa, clearly proud of himself. Donnie smiled good-naturedly, and the two turtles moved over to sit with Lyssa while Mikey and Leo readied themselves. Leo winked at her and Raph poked her again, saying, "You'll like this." Donnie chuckled as she sat forward a little to get a better view.

Raphael was right; she loved watching Leo fight. Mikey's speed and his obvious expertise with nunchaku impressed her, but Leo's grace stunned her. He wielded his katanas like they were an extension of his body and his movements almost appeared effortless. She was pretty sure her jaw would hit the floor if he and Mikey kept it up.

When they finished, the brothers laughed and Leo said, "Maybe next time Mikey," since he beat him. Donnie mentioned to Lyssa that when Leo and Raph fought, they fought fiercely, and she looked forward to seeing that some day.

Eventually Leo and Mikey came over to them and Lyssa complimented them both. Then the five of them continued to talk for another hour or so before Lyssa reluctantly admitted that she needed to get inside to her apartment. The guys understood, and they each said goodnight. Donnie gave her his cell number so that she reach him or the other two brothers. They made plans to hang out the next night, and took off. Leo stayed behind so he could have a private moment with Lyssa before leaving. By the look on Mikey and Raph's faces, he could tell he would be teased later, but for once he didn't care.

She was smiling at him in a way that made his heart beat faster and soften all at once. He let his hand wander to her hair and gently wrapped a few curls around his fingers. He smiled at the softness, and she reached up to gently play with the edge of his mask.

"I'm glad we got to hang out tonight, Leo. I had fun," Lyssa said. Leo laughed softly and agreed.

"Me too. I think we all had a great time. It was good to see you again." Lyssa then surprised him by reaching up and wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Leo returned her embrace, sighing as she molded to him perfectly. She turned her head and kissed his cheek before whispering, "Good night Leo. Sleep well for me." He pulled back and looked at her before very gently placing a kiss to her forehead.

"You too, Lyssa," he replied. She smiled, wishing she could communicate what she was feeling right then. Instead, she gave his hand a final squeeze before she walked over to the doorway to the stairwell. Before she went in, however, she turned back and called over to Leo.

"By the way, blue is a good color on you, too," she said playfully, winking at him before she ducked inside the doorway and disappeared from sight. A smiling Leo then turned his attention to catching up with brothers, and returning home to the lair. Splinter was waiting for them when they arrived, fully aware of where they spent the evening.

"Welcome back, my sons," he intoned. The four turtles bowed their heads respectfully and greeted him.

"How did you find Leonardo's lady friend, Miss Lyssa?" he asked his other three sons. Mikey immediately jumped forward to offer up all the positive adjectives in his vocabulary to describe Lyssa. This was followed by Raphael knocking him upside the head and answering more coherently.

"She was great, sensei. I think Leo was right about her," he said, which took everyone in the room by surprise. It was rare indeed for him to admit to Leo being right about something.

Next, Donatello voiced his opinion. "She's very smart, Master Splinter. And kind. She accepted us immediately, without batting an eye. I think she's a trustworthy friend," he finished. Splinter nodded. He looked at each of his sons, noting the way Leonardo's eyes lit with pride as his brothers spoke of the girl. Splinter suppressed a smile at the sight before him; his oldest and most practical son was obviously developing a crush.

"I see. I believe it is time then to bring Miss Lyssa here, to our home, and allow me to speak with her," Splinter advised. Three of the turtles' faces lit up excitedly, while Leo's eye widened nervously. Splinter saw this and chuckled.

"Do not fear, Leonardo. Your brothers approve of her, and your instincts are good. I am sure our discussion will go well," he stated. Leo relaxed slightly, and smiled at his father.

"Thank you, sensei. I'll bring her as soon as possible," he said. Splinter smiled and returned to his room to meditate. Leo breathed deeply and sat down in their den area.

"_I sure hope Lyssa likes rats," _he thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my o/cs and plot. **

**Also, sorry this update took so long! I've been swamped with school, but I'll try to work on the next chapter sooner. Enjoy. And thanks for your lovely reviews!**

"Could you repeat that please?" Lyssa asked with a squeak in her voice. She heard Leo's laughter on the other end of the call and groaned slightly. She thought it was quiet, but he heard her nonetheless.

"There's nothing to worry about, Lyssa; my dad just wants to meet you, which means he'd like you to come down and visit our home. But since he can't offer you his trust until he's met you himself, we can't allow you to see the exact location of our lair. Hence the blindfold I mentioned." Leo tried to explain this as calmly as he could, but he knew Lyssa was feeling nervous about what he proposed. As if their friendship wasn't strange already, he now had to blindfold her just to take her to his place. _"Smooth, Leo. Smooth." _He shook the thought away and returned his focus to Lyssa's worried voice coming through his shell cell.

"Um, okay, I guess I can understand that. I mean, you guys have to protect yourselves. But I'm still nervous about meeting Splinter; what if he doesn't like me? I don't want to have to stop seeing you, Leo…and your brothers, of course," Lyssa hastily added. She could feel the blush on her face, but had enough to worry about without letting her thoughts wander too far in _that _direction. Then Leo's voice came through, calm, clear, and full of warmth. She instantly relaxed as he spoke his honest opinion to her.

"Lyssa, Splinter will like you and you won't lose us anytime soon. Trust me on this, he will see the same things in you that we all do. You're wonderful, Lyssa, and you should feel confident that he will be able to see that," Leo said reassuringly. As he said it, he felt his own nerves about the situation dissipate; Lyssa really was a kind soul, and he knew his sensei would recognize that immediately.

"Thanks Leo," Lyssa smiled. "That does make me feel a little better. I still don't like blindfolds, but I'll wear it if I really need to," she admitted. Leo decided to mess with her to lighten the mood.

"Yes, you need to. But what have you got against blindfolds? I hear they can be fun under certain circumstances," he teased, letting his voice drop a fraction in pitch. He could almost hear Lyssa's cheeks burning with her blush as she sputtered a response.

"Leo! Was that necessary?" He laughed in response, and she gave in, chuckling along with him. "Anyway, I just hope everything goes well. When are we doing this?" she asked.

"Well, we could do it tonight, if you're free," Leo suggested. Lyssa's heart fluttered anxiously, but she figure it would be best to meet Splinter sooner than later. At least then her relationship with Leo could move forward. She took a breath before agreeing.

"Yeah, tonight's good. Should I meet you on the roof?"

"Not this time. Just wait for us in the alley next your building, and we'll get going from there," Leo explained. They set up a few more details before they ended the phone call, Leo providing a final word of encouragement to help Lyssa relax. Realizing that she needed to prepare, Lyssa spent the rest of the afternoon choosing the right attire for heading into unknown territory: the home of her new, unusual friends.

That evening, Lyssa stood at the street entrance to the alley beside her apartment building waiting for a sign that the turtles were near. Eventually she felt a small breeze and heard someone whisper from behind her, "You ready, Lyssa?"

She jumped at the sound and turned to see Raphael smirking at her. She grinned and nodded, looking around to see if she could spot the others. She wondered where Leo was.

As if he saw what she was thinking, Raph said,

"Your boyfriend's waiting up ahead, but first…" Lyssa blushed, but couldn't form a denial as he suddenly produced the blindfold she was dreading.

"Hey, no worries, Lyssa. You can trust me to lead you there safely. It's Mikey you'd have to worry about," Raph joked. She looked up at him and smiled, knowing that any of the brothers could be counted on to keep her safe. She gave Raph the go-ahead and he gently tied the blindfold around her face. She felt him pull her along, and then stop. She heard the sound of something moving, like a grate; then she heard Raph call out, and her heart increased its rhythm.

"I've got her, Leo. You ready down there?" he called. Lyssa heard Leo's reply, and it sounded like he was below her and Raph. Then it occurred to her that the sound she heard was probably a manhole, since she could tell they were still on the street and not in a building.

"_The sewer?" _she thought. "_Well, I guess it works if you need to stay hidden away from people. But gross." _She was pulled from her thoughts when Raphael suddenly lifted her and explained, matter-of-factly, that he would be tossing her to Leo, who was waiting below them.

"What?! You're just going to throw me?" she exclaimed, frightened.

"No, I'm gonna drop you. That's different. Besides, Leo is right there waiting, he'll catch you. And you can't climb down blindfolded," Raph reminded her. Lyssa knew there wasn't anything she could do except to go with it, but she was scared and couldn't see a thing. She took a deep breath and braced herself as Raph let go of her.

Lyssa felt as though her stomach did a somersault as she dropped, but it only took a second before strong arms caught her and pulled her close to a warm chest. Knowing it was Leo, Lyssa couldn't help it when her face flushed, and she smiled a little.

"Hi Leo," she said warmly. He smiled before setting her on her feet and taking her hand.

"Hi Lyssa. I'll lead you from here. Raph is right behind us. Ready?" Leo said quietly. When she nodded they began walking, and Lyssa enjoyed the feel of Leo's hand wrapped around hers. He guided her gently, and although the smell was getting to her, she enjoyed listening to Raphael's attempts to get a rise out of his older brother.

"So, you guys make it official yet? Or do you need rings for that?" Lyssa heard him say. Although she was embarrassed herself, she couldn't' help giggling as she felt Leo stiffen beside her. "_Raph's getting exactly what he wants," _she mused.

"Because you know, Donnie's pretty crafty, he could probably make you something…" The ribbing continued all the way to the lair, with Lyssa outright laughing despite her embarrassment. She threw a few jabs back at Raph as Leo tried in vain to get him to stop. The two were still teasing each other when Leo stopped walking and announced to Lyssa, "We're here. I'm going to take the blindfold off you in a minute."

Suddenly Lyssa felt nervous again, and when she heard a door open, she found herself clutching her shirt sleeve tightly. Then she was nudged gently through the doorway by Raphael, and Leo removed her blindfold.

The lair was the most creatively designed space that Lyssa had ever seen. Directly in front of her was an area cleverly carved into a den, with pillows and mismatched couched arranged around a television set. Further behind this she could see a kitchen area, and as she looked around, she spotted what could only be Donnie's lab emitting a thin layer of smoke from the doorway. She could hear the brainy turtle muttering loudly from inside the lab, obviously in the midst of a project. Lyssa smiled as she continued to glance around, taking note of a somewhat separated area that appeared to house the brother's bedrooms, and a training dojo with a sliding screen door.

"So whaddaya think?" asked Raphael with a curious gleam in his eye. Lyssa looked over at him and Leo with a huge grin on her face. She saw Leo's shoulders relax and he offered her a smile in return.

"This place is great," she gushed. Raph puffed up and grinned widely as she continued. "You guys have everything. I'm so curious to see Donnie's lab! And is the dojo where you do all your meditation, Leo?"

"Mostly. I'm sure Donnie would love to give you a tour of his lab, once he's cleaned up in there. I think another one of his inventions exploded," Leo said, trying hard not to laugh. Just then, there was a curious squeal from the kitchen area, and suddenly Lyssa found herself directly in the path of a super excited Michelangelo.

"LYSSA! YOU'RE HERE!" Mikey yelled enthusiastically, before pulling her in for a hug. She laughed and hugged the youngest turtle back.

"Hey Mikey! I love your place. I'm glad to see it finally. How's everything?" Lyssa commented. Mikey's baby blue eyes shone as he prepared to say something, but before he could, a voice sounded from behind the sofa where the turtles and Lyssa had gathered.

"I am glad to see that you enjoy our home, Miss Lyssa," stated the voice warmly. Lyssa stiffened slightly, knowing this was the moment of truth. Leonardo reached over and quickly gave her hand a comforting squeeze before she turned around to face Splinter.

As Leo described, his father was a giant rat. This didn't bother Lyssa much, but the aura of wisdom and power that he exuded intimidated her. He had a kind look in his eyes, but Lyssa was fully aware that she was here to be evaluated and that made her slightly wary of him.

"Your home is really lovely," she stated. "Master Splinter, right? I'm Lyssa Roman." She introduced herself and extended her hand for him to shake. He came forward and took it gently, shaking her hand with his paw before speaking again.

"Yes, Leonardo has told me much about you, young one. As has Michelangelo, though he sometimes becomes difficult to understand in his excitement," remarked Splinter. Mikey looked sheepish before giving a small smile and a shrug.

"Lyssa, would you care to join me in the kitchen for some tea? I would like to know more about you," Splinter requested kindly. Although she was nervous, Lyssa smiled at the rat and readily agreed. She glanced at Leo once before following his sensei into the kitchen, leaving the brothers to sit in the den and wait. _"Good luck," _thought Leo.

Lyssa took a seat at the kitchen table while Splinter went about preparing two cup of hot tea. He sensed her apprehension as he turned back to her and handed her a cup.

"There is no need for fear, young one. I only want to speak with you to get a sense of the kind of person you are. My sons speak very highly of you," he began. Lyssa sipped her tea before replying.

'Thank you, Master Splinter. I'm flattered by their acceptance of me; I'm very fond of them too. Your sons are kind and courageous," Lyssa answered. Splinter tilted his head at her.

"It is curious that you speak of their acceptance of you, and not the other way around," he mused.

"Well, that's because it was easy to accept them," she explained. "I've never had difficulty welcoming people who were different. And I've always had an active imagination. While it was dificult to believe at first, Leo was nothing but kind and friendly to me, so I saw no reason to be afraid. And I think it must be harder for all of you to accept new people into your lives, since the most harmless looking person could pose a threat if they chose to expose you. It occurred to me that the stakes are much higher for you guys, so I'm thankful for the trust your sons have given me," she finished. There was quiet in the room as Lyssa reached for her tea and Splinter sat across from her, contemplating her words and looking her over.

After a moment, he asked, "Do you like your tea?" Lyssa smiled and nodded.

"It's delicious, thank you." Splinter nodded and proceeded to ask her questions about her family, age, ambitions, and the like. Lyssa answered them as honestly as she could. Splinter also told her about his past, and about raising the turtles and teaching them ninjitsu. His stories fascinated her, and she almost forgot that he was evaluating her. But then he asked her about Leo.

"So Lyssa, it is my son Leonardo in particular that you are closest with, correct?" he asked politely. She gulped and said, "Yes, I've spent the most time with him."

Splinter got a knowing look in his eye before he asked his next question. "And do you have an interest in my son that goes beyond friendship? Please, do not be afraid to answer honestly. I am not judging," he assured her. Lyssa's face blushed bright pink as she scrambled to think of what she should say. In the end, she decided to tell the truth.

"Yes," she admitted. "I like Leo very much. It's strange for me, but also…not. Something just feels natural about it; almost inevitable. I know that sounds silly, but he has so many great qualities, and his presence is…soothing to me. He's peaceful." Lyssa felt as if she would never stop blushing after admitting all of that to Leo's father of all people. But when she looked into Splinter's eyes, she could see only the gleam of amusement and approval. He smiled broadly at her and patted her shoulder.

"My eldest son is many things, and you described a few of them. He is also lucky to have such a kind, intelligent, generous and considerate young woman like you in his life. I welcome you to our home and to our small but resilient family. I look forward to seeing more of you, young one," Splinter said graciously. Lyssa was so surprised that it took her a moment to register his words. When she did she smiled brightly and thanked Splinter several times over. He gave her another pat on the shoulder before suggesting they rejoin his sons in the den.

As Splinter and Lyssa came out of the kitchen, Leo's heart kicked into gear. He looked first to his sensei, then to Lyssa; seeing both of their smiles, Leo let out an overdue breath. He could tell Lyssa was practically bouncing with happiness, and Splinter looked very pleased indeed.

"Leonardo, a moment please?" said his sensei. Leo immediately walked over to Splinter as Lyssa walked over to the couch he had sat on. She joined Mikey, Raph, and Donnie, who had come out of his lab by this point.

"She is a very lovely person, and a welcome addition to our family," said Splinter. Leo's eyes lit up at this, amusing Splinter.

"You are very fortunate, my son," he said quietly, so only Leonardo would hear. "She returns your feelings." With that, Splinter announced to the group at large that Lyssa was welcome to come down any time, and retired to his rooms. Leo, however was stuck on his father's quiet statement. _She returns your feelings._

With formalities over, Lyssa and the turtles were free to enjoy an evening of movies and pizza, mixed in with conversations about favored comics, games, tv shows, and embarrassing experiences. Lyssa got to know Raph, Mikey, and Donnie better and had a great time laughing with them. She noticed Leo glancing at her often throughout the night, and while he participated in the conversation, he looked distracted. When it was time for Lyssa to head home, Leo offered to take her. She said goodbyes to the other three turtles and smiled at Leo when she was ready to go. As they were leaving the lair, she thought she heard Mikey say, "Awe, they are so cute!"

Leo led her through the maze of sewer tunnels to get closest to her street, and Lyssa noticed he still looked deep in thought. She grabbed his hand as they walked, hoping to soothe whatever was bothering him with the small contact.

He glanced at her when she took his hand, and felt his cheeks darken in a blush. Ever since his father had spoken to him, Leo had caught himself thinking of ways to let Lyssa know he felt the same way. He didn't want to scare her or embarrass himself, and he worried about what would happen. But he felt strongly for her, and trusted her not to hurt him or his brothers. So Leo decided he needed to come clean with her.

When they finally moved above ground, they were close to the alley beside Lyssa's building. Leo stopped her from walking forward and look down at her.

"Lyssa…would you meet me on your rooftop in a few minutes? There's something I need to tell you," he said earnestly.

"Yeah, of course. I'll just run straight up when I get inside. Is everything okay, Leo?" she replied, concerned. Leo nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine, I just need to tell you something. I'll meet you there in a second," he answered cryptically. Lyssa agreed and walked the rest of the way to her building alone. When she got inside, she took the stairs all the way to the roof, pausing once she got outside to catch her breath. A second later Leo jumped down from a nearby building and approached her.

He took her hand and gently led her over to her lawn chair. They both sat and looked up at the stars for a few moments before Lyssa's concern got the better of her.

"Leo? What's bothering you?" she tentatively asked. He turned his head to look at her, and she could see a kind of emotion in his eyes that made her breath catch.

"I want to tell you how I feel about you, but I'm not sure how," he told her. He watched as her eyes grew wide and her cheeks turned pink. Then, a light smile played across her lips and she placed a hand against his plastron.

"Just say what's in here," she answered. She looked at him with such care that he felt his emotions spilling out of his mouth for better or worse.

"I've never felt as comfortable and relaxed as I am around you. With my family is one thing, but I'm always think of their safety and worrying about my responsibilities to them. With you, my mind is at rest. Your eyes, your smile, your laugh, everything about you steals my focus; my thoughts just go to you. You're so kind and accepting, and strong on the inside. I really like you, Lyssa," he said, his eyes tender.

Lyssa's heart swelled at his words; her smile grew and she placed one hand gently on his cheek. She could hardly believe that Leo was here with her, saying everything she felt for him back to her. It felt like the perfect moment unfolding.

"Leo, I feel the same things when I'm with you," she said quietly. She stroked his face softly, feeling the texture of his skin, so different from hers. A slow grin spread across Leo's face, and her heart beat faster at the sight. The look in his eyes was caring, and full of longing. He raised a hand to gently move her curls away from her shoulder and leaned close to her. Lyssa trembled when he whispered against her skin, just below her ear.

"You are so beautiful," he said. "in so many ways." He pulled away but didn't go far. He put his hand under her chin and lifted her faced toward his. He hesitated, so close to her but reluctant to push forward.

"So are you," Lyssa whispered, and she closed the distance left between them. She placed a soft kiss to Leo's mouth, surprising and delighting the ninja turtle. He kissed her back slowly, and they kept a gentle, unhurried pace as they explored each other. Lyssa felt a molten heat spread through her and pressed closer to Leo, who kissed her more urgently in return. The kiss was overwhelming, and soon they pulled apart to catch their breath. The two looked at each other heatedly for a moment before Lyssa leaned into Leo's chest and laughed.

"Thank you," she suddenly said.

"For what?" Leo questioned. She smiled.

"For checking on me that day I fell asleep up here." Leo smiled in return and chuckled softly.

"Thank Mikey for dropping his nunchuks."


End file.
